The legalization of marijuana in parts of the United States has created a shift in the black market drug trade. Now, weed is smuggled south of the U.S. and into Mexico.

A report from KPBS suggests that Tijuana residents with visas or dual citizenship are driving into California where the quality of weed is higher than that of the Mexican cartel’s. Weed has been legal in California for medical purposes for nearly two decades and smuggling small amounts back proves to be a lucrative job. This practice is expected to intensify now that California voters approves the initiative to legalize pot for recreational use.

Although it is illegal to smuggle marijuana from the United States into Mexico, doing so is relatively risk-free. While there are many strict searches and stops happening on the Mexican border for people looking to cross into the United States, Mexico-bound travelers rarely get stopped or searched. It is very easy to sneak a modest amount of herb from California into Mexico.

Yet what is even more interesting is that the potency of California weed is causing Mexican citizens to experience much more extreme highs according to Dr. Raul Palacios, a clinical director at the Centro de Integración Juveníl drug rehabilitation facility in Tijuana. He says, Mexican users have grown accustomed to THC levels that are much lower than the THC levels in California medical cannabis.

In September, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto said that he and other officials will be paying close attention to marijuana legalization efforts in California. During a meeting with a group of California delegates, he told Senator Ben Allen that Mexico was waiting to see what would happen with respect to marijuana in the Golden State before addressing a police change in Mexico.

Ethan Nadelmann, the executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, recently told Reuters that Mexico would eventually follow in the direction of the United States with regards to the legalization of marijuana. This could be a great move for Mexico’s economy.

As time goes by, countries are becoming more aware of the many advantages that can be gained through the legalization of marijuana.

Ariana Marisolis a contributing staff writer for REALfarmacy.com. She is an avid nature enthusiast, gardener, photographer, writer, hiker, dreamer, and lover of all things sustainable, wild, and free. Ariana strives to bring people closer to their true source, Mother Nature. She graduated The Evergreen State College with an undergraduate degree focusing on Sustainable Design and Environmental Science. Follow her adventures on Instagram.